The relationship between physical fitness and fatigue among female employees in general hospitals

Song, Chan Hee; Shin, Jin Hee; Chung, Kyoo In; Yeum, Keun Sang; Kim, Kyung Soo

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Physiological fatigue due to excessive physical activities and lack of proper rest is commonly observed among workers. Previous studies suggested that physiological fatigue can be related to individual physical fitness. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between physical fitness and the degree of fatigue in 95 female employees in general hospitals.
METHODS
Subjects were healthy adults female volunteers who were employed by two general hospitals located in Seoul and Kyunggido. The degree of fatigue using fatigue severity scale and physical fitness including % body fat, waist-hip ratio, maximal oxygen uptake, both grip strengths, back muscle strength, sit ups, flexibility, and broad jump were assessed. Data were analysed to examine the relationship between the degree of fatigue and each physical fitness.
RESULTS
1. Fatigue severity scale was significantly increased with increasing age and commuting time. Drinking alcohol was significantly related to increased fatigue severity scale. 2. Fatigue severity scale was significantly decreased with increasing number of family members and length of service. 3. Fatigue severity scale was significantly decreased with increasing both grip strengths , maximal O2 uptake, and sit ups.
CONCLUSION
The physical fitness factors including both grip strengths, maximal O2 uptake, and sit ups were considered to be important predictors in the evaluation of the degree of physiological fatigue.